Various constructions of setting devices are known in the state of the art. These devices serve for joining rivets, bolts or other elements, which are collectively called fastening elements. Depending on the construction and field of application, the setting devices function with differing feed apparatuses for the respective fastening elements. An example of such a setting device is described in the patent DE 20 2006 016 504. Using this apparatus, for example, bolts are driven into a work piece at high frequency.
In the state of the art, the feeding of fastening elements to the respective setting device is implemented in differing ways. According to one alternative, the fastening elements are pushed by the force of a spring from a magazine into the feed channel or into the proximity of the feed channel of the setting device. From there, the joining process of the fastening element takes place using the punch of the setting device. It is also known to feed the fastening elements using a carrier strip. On such carrier strips the fastening elements are held sequentially at uniformly spaced retaining positions. Within the setting device, the fastening elements are removed from the retaining position in order to be fed to the punch for joining.
A drawback with the feed apparatuses and feed methods known from the state of the art is that the fastening elements can frequently not be fed with the required positional accuracy or the desired frequency. It is also disadvantageous to use rondels for supporting the positioning of the fastening elements, because these cause additional manufacturing expenditure and therefore cost. Thus, in general, different aspects hamper the course of the joining procedure, which leads to a loss of time and additional costs.
Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a feed apparatus, a feed channel, a setting device with these components, and a method for feeding fastening elements, with which the disadvantages of the state of the art are overcome.